Best Michael Troiano Podcasts (2024)

1
Major Garrett talks about Neil Postman's book "Amusing Ourselves to Death" 59:32

1h ago59:32

59:32

Major Garrett is chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, and as he told me in our conversation, he is an "accidental television journalist" who "never imagined" working in TV and "never wanted it." He was a print reporter for 17 years before entering the world of television. Since then, he's proven to be one of the most formidable, best prepar…

1
Moderates Keep Fighting & Don't Look for the Easy Way Out, with Aurelian Craiutu 40:27

1M ago40:27

40:27

Aurelian Craiutu is the author of Why Not Moderation? Letters to Young Radicals. Craiutu is the chair of Indiana University's political science department. He is reclaiming a word and idea — moderation — that is typically despised and criticized as weak and cowardly. This is a misunderstanding of what moderation is, he insists. Moderation is not fo…

1
Yuval Levin's "American Covenant" is a blueprint for peace-making and effective governance 58:37

3M ago58:37

58:37

It is the 80th anniversary of D-Day. I just finished watching the ceremony in France, where they honored WWII vets who still live, and those who never came home. It was incredibly moving. But we can't just look back and grow emotional during inspiring video montages. We must think about how to avoid the paths of division that could send future youn…

1
Higher ed has lost sight of mission and purpose, John Inazu says 40:59

4M ago40:59

40:59

John Inazu's new book is Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. John teaches on criminal law, law and religion and the First Amendment at Washington University in St. Louis. He is an expert on religious freedom. And he is a senior fellow with Interfaith America. He is also a former Air Force of…

1
We Are Not Powerless: American Politics is "Entirely Fixable" says Nick Troiano in his new book "The Primary Solution" 54:21

6M ago54:21

54:21

We keep looking at our broken political system — the politicians who show up on our TV's and our phones, the lawmakers who end up in Congress, and the general lack of solutions to our biggest problems — and we shake our head. We promise to vote the bums out. We vow to drain the swamp. We pledge to overturn the plutocracy. But we don't think about o…

1
What is a Christian politics? Michael Wear's new book argues it's mostly about who we are 53:02

7M ago53:02

53:02

Break the system. That's what one New Hampshire voter, a 58-year old retired Army officer, said he wants the president to do, in an interview with Politico Magazine. It's only the most obvious example of many of us tend to do from time to time. We pretend, or actually believe, that politics is a form of magic. In other words, we think we can elect …

1
David Leonhardt's book joins a chorus of warnings for the Democrats 40:44

9M ago40:44

40:44

The 1950's and 60's were an age of widely shared prosperity in the U.S. — across class and economic lines — that have never quite returned. Things were improving for all parts of society during the post-war period, and for all groups including Black Americans, despite the real presence of racial bias and discrimination against them. And things have…

1
Tim Alberta's new book portrays a tug of war for the soul of American Christianity 1:05:51

9M ago1:05:51

1:05:51

Tim Alberta's new book: The Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals In An Age of Extremism, is a sobering look at the results in history when a religious movement morphs into a political movement, and allows its identity to be taken over by political imperatives and goals. Alberta's book documents the spread of Christian Trumpism, …

1
BUILDERS Interview: Matt Murphy on how community & music help him fight the paralysis of our times 37:35

10M ago37:35

37:35

This is a Builders conversation. I'm doing these about once a month to highlight people who are not just cursing the darkness but are also building up their local community — and the country — through making something beautiful, through problem-solving, and by stitching together places of belonging and meaning. (Thank you Joy Moore for the inspirat…

1
Where Have All the Democrats Gone? With Ruy Teixeira 54:14

11M ago54:14

54:14

This week's podcast interview (audio above) is with Ruy Teixeira, about his new book with John Judis, Where Have All the Democrats Gone?: The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes. It is an argument that both parties have been co-opted by big business. It spends all its time blaming the Democrats for their part in this, but that's because the au…

1
Evolution denial is a bigger deal than I realized 49:58

11M ago49:58

49:58

I have never cared all that much about the debate over evolution. But I grew up in an evangelical home and church. So in my world, the origins of the species were definitely up for question. To me, it all seemed rather silly. I didn't see any conflict between evolution and the Christian faith, or even between evolution and the Bible. But I have kno…

1
BUILDER interview: Joel Searby on overcoming broken politics & hopelessness 33:53

11M ago33:53

33:53

In American politics, we saw the latest sign of total dysfunction in Congress, as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted for daring to pass a bipartisan solution last week to avoid a government shutdown. Many people are desperate for a new kind of politics, and Joel Searby has dedicated the last several years of his life to that cause. Joel worked…

1
Yascha Mounk's measured response to the "Great Awokening" 41:40

12M ago41:40

41:40

I've interviewed Yascha Mounk about his book The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time, which was released this week. "Mounk has told the story of the Great Awokening better than any other writer who has attempted to make sense of it," The Washington Post wrote in a review. Yascha's book says that we can reach across our differences…

1
Talking to Shannon Harris about "The Woman They Wanted" 51:18

12M ago51:18

51:18

Shannon Harris is on the podcast this week. We talk about her new book The Woman they Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife I have a particular interest in this book because it's a behind the scenes look at the culture of the church I grew up in: Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. There is national relevance for Sh…

1
Andrew Whitehead argues against Christian empire with data and his own personal conviction in American Idolatry 48:38

1y ago48:38

48:38

Andrew is Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Association of Religion Data Archives (theARDA.com) at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at IUPUI, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Here’sAndrew’s Substack His first book in 2020, Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United …

1
Are We Really Stuck With Biden Vs Trump, Again? 1:01:33

1y ago1:01:33

1:01:33

Large numbers of Americans are unhappy with the idea of a Biden vs Trump rematch, polls show, but both the Democratic and Republican parties appear to be paralyzed, unable to do anything about it.There’s a reason why.Both parties are shells of their former selves, and strong political parties are the foundation of a healthy democracy, many politica…

1
Karen Swallow Prior's "Evangelical Imagination" Describes a Culture in Crisis 40:09

1y ago40:09

40:09

Karen Swallow Prior is the author of multiple books, including On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books. Her new book is called The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images & Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis. It's out August 8 from Brazos Press. She is a professor of English literature and a popular speaker and writer. Ka…

1
How Russell Moore Learned to Stop Worrying and Embrace the Apocalypse 41:28

1y ago41:28

41:28

I interviewed Russell Moore on the podcast this week about his new book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America, which is out next Tuesday, July 25. In his book, Moore refers to the "post-2016 era" as an "apocalypse." Now, you hear that word, and you might think Zombies! Both those reactions to the word "apocalypse" have to do wi…

1
John Blake was a "closeted biracial person" until he met his white mother 59:18

1y ago59:18

59:18

I don't know if I've ever read a book quite like John Blake's "More than I Imagine." The subtitle is: "What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew" John is a senior writer at CNN. In this conversation, John and I talk about: his very difficult childhood growing up in West Baltimore in the 60's and 70's how he grew up disliking …

1
A New Book by Ben Terris Shows How Badly We've Misunderstood Power in the Age of Individualism 39:52

1+ y ago39:52

39:52

A new book, "The Big Break" by Washington Post feature writer Ben Terris, is a story of how many institutions in Washington are failing those within them. But it's also a cautionary tale of how the idealism and passion of youth is being squandered in today's politics by our focus on individualism and our deemphasis on institutions. Ben's book trace…

1
The Stanford Free Speech Incident with David Lat 46:14

1+ y ago46:14

46:14

Nobody has covered the Stanford free speech incident more closely than David Lat. He's a legal affairs writer at his Substack, Original Jurisdiction. David is a Harvard undergrad and a Yale law school graduate who has a fascinating backstory. He was originally an assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted federal crimes under former U.S. Attorney Chris…

1
Understanding the political radicalization of Charismatic Christians, with Matthew D. Taylor 1:48:18

1+ y ago1:48:18

1:48:18

This interview is with Matthew D. Taylor, who wrote and created a recent podcast series called "Charismatic Revival Fury." Taylor is the Protestant Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies, in Baltimore. We know about the Proud Boys, and the Big Lie, and former President Trump's role in spreading it and deceiving millions …

1
Sen. Chris Van Hollen on another debt ceiling crisis in Congress 28:05

1+ y ago28:05

28:05

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) represents Maryland in the U.S. Senate. He was in the middle of the fight over the debt ceiling in 2011, as a member of the House. That was the first of several fiscal fights over those years. Now, we're back in another debt ceiling showdown, and I talked with Van Hollen mostly about that. If you want to read what I wrote …

1
Sara Billups wrote a book for disillusioned evangelicals who don't want to give up on their faith 47:32

1+ y ago47:32

47:32

Sara Billups is a Seattle-based writer whose book Orphaned Believers is out January 24. "In the wake of the culture wars of the 1980s and 1990s, many young evangelicals found themselves untethered, disillusioned, and—ultimately—orphaned as they grappled with the legalistic, politically co-opted churches of their youth and embarked on a search for a…

1
Fixing Congress isn't a partisan idea. Quietly, a bipartisan group has been working on this. 35:20

1+ y ago35:20

35:20

I talked last week with Yuval Levin about the House Speaker fight and what lessons we might draw from it. This week I've got a different angle on the problems in Congress, and how they might be fixed. House Republicans who blocked Kevin McCarthy’s ascension to the speakership repeated a mantra during the four-day leadership fight that ended after s…

1
Yuval Levin is back with an optimistic take about the lessons from Kevin McCarthy's agonizing fight to become Speaker 58:19

1+ y ago58:19

58:19

Back in the summer of 2017 when I started this podcast, my first guest was Yuval Levin. And over the years, Yuval has been one of my most consistent conversation partners, in informal lunches and on this podcast. Levin is director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). This is his fifth time on t…

1
Congress is set to pass a compromise between gay rights and religious freedom, says Tim Schultz 56:45

2y ago56:45

56:45

Tim Schultz is president of the First Amendment Partnership, a group whose core mission is to advocate for religious freedom for all faiths and rights of conscience. Schultz and others say this bill gives something to both gay rights groups and to religious conservatives. It's a compromise, a tradeoff. On the left, there are some activists who say …

1
Paul D. Miller untangles the confusion around Christian Nationalism 48:27

2y ago48:27

48:27

Paul D. Miller is currently a professor of global politics and security at Georgetown University, and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. He worked at the National Security Council under Presidents Bush and Obama, and was a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army prior to that. Miller's book is "The Religion of American Greatness: What'…

1
Bonnie Kristian's crucial new book on our knowledge crisis and our "screen-broken brains" 58:19

2y ago58:19

58:19

Journalist Bonnie Kristian joins to discuss her new book, "Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community." "We've spent forty years dramatically increasing how much information the average person encounters daily, and we've made no effort to equip ourselves to handle that shift,"…

1
Deconstructing Christians who leave the faith are rejecting a "shadow" of the real faith, with James K.A. Smith 43:40

2y ago43:40

43:40

James K.A. Smith discusses his new book, "How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now," which released September 20, 2022, from Brazos Press. We discuss: the role of history in helping us learn discernment and live faithfully the ways that many Christians think they are living out ancient truths that are ac…

1
What is Christian Nationalism, and what is it not? With Philip S. Gorski, author of "The Flag and the Cross" 46:31

2y ago46:31

46:31

The topic of Christian nationalism has been much in the news recently. Republican politicians like Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia both have claimed the term as their own, and Boebert in particular has loudly proclaimed that she does not believe in the separation of church and state. “I’m tired of this separation of …

1
Thoughts from NFT_NYC Show: Competition, Community & Culture 14:11

2y ago14:11

14:11

Spent the week in NY at the big NFT show, here are my big takeaways. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/miketrap/message

1
What does it mean to "tell the story" of your Web3 project? 19:01

2+ y ago19:01

19:01

What does it really mean to put a story at the tip of the spear in creating a community around your Web3 project? How do you craft that story, in a way that will attract the right kinds of people, and get them to bring others like them on board? And what exactly, is the vessel for such a story, once you have it? --- Send in a voice message: https:/…

1
Apes are one thing... Should you launch a REAL crypto project with a "story?" 12:15

2+ y ago12:15

12:15

The power of stories to drive novelty crypto projects like Dogecoin and Bored Ape is pretty obvious. But how do you put that power to work for a more traditional commercial venture? What are the secrets to doing that in Web3, and what do they mean for building a brand? This episode compares two projects for the answer, Terra, and PolkaDot. Terra Wh…

1
What’s different about building brands in Web3? 9:48

2+ y ago9:48

9:48

Brands have always lived in the space between a product and a customer. What’s really changed in Web3? Two things, actually. And if you’re trying to build the community necessary to support a successful Web3 project, you really need to understand them, and put them to work for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sho…

1
START HERE: Why "Contagious Narrative?" 11:15

2+ y ago11:15

11:15

I've been thinking a lot about the intersection of brand building, storytelling, community, and Web3. It's a space I'd like to explore in more detail, and that's what I plan to do here. For more on how I got here and where I plan to go, give this a listen. Show Links: Headless Brands, by Bryan Lehrer Toby Shorin, Sam Hart, Laura Lotti --- Send in a…

1
The Shmee Show: Michael Buckley 41:12

3y ago41:12

41:12

This week our very special guest is Michael Buckley! He needs no introduction! We deep dive into what brings him joy, what he would tell his 12 year old self, and what impact his illustrious YouTube career had on his own life and his audiences'.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Javi Perez & Victor Borbolla 38:11

3y ago38:11

38:11

This week I sat down with my friends Javi Perez & Victor Borbolla. They wear many hats. Husbands, business owners, models, actors, and motivating queer role models. I chatted with them about being examples of inspiration for the community and what it takes to have a successful marriage.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Jenni "JWOWW" Farley 25:25

3y ago25:25

25:25

This week I sat down with the one, the only, Jenni Farley. She opened up about life when the cameras are off, what truly brings her joy, where her impeccable work ethic comes from, and how owning a retail space is easier than furnishing a house.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Taylor Tote 32:27

3y ago32:27

32:27

This week I sat down with singer/song writer, Taylor Tote. We dove into her ever-evolving music career, her sliding glass door life, and where she pulls inspiration from!By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Rovin / EGYPT 42:35

3y ago42:35

42:35

This week I had the joy of sitting down and talking to NYC Drag Star Egypt, or as I know him, my friend Rovin Sena. We talked about his childhood in the Dominican Republic, his love of dance, his drag persona Egypt, and finding your identity as a queer person.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Tootsie Olan 47:39

3y ago47:39

47:39

This week I sat down with lifetime dancer and choreographer Tootsie Olan and talked about how to always live in a state of pure joy. She shares how dance/yoga changed her life, why she chooses to just LIVE, and the time she met Beyonce.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Will Jay 48:54

3y ago48:54

48:54

Today I sit down with our very special guest, Will Jay. I discovered his latest album, Perfectionist, and it changed my life. He speaks on the album, the music he is working on now, finding what brings him joy, and persevering through the music industry.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Tommy / LO•TI•ON 39:34

3y ago39:34

39:34

Sam interviews midwest native Tommy Nouansacksy. We deep dive into his OG YouTube past, his drag extension LO•TI•ON, and how nothing is real.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Nick Troiano 52:33

3y ago52:33

52:33

Sam interviews the executive director of Unite America, Nick Troiano! Nick shares stories from his rollercoaster political career and how running for Congress back in 2014 was a milestone that fueled the fire to change American politics.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show: Alexz Johnson 1:07:48

3y ago1:07:48

1:07:48

I sat down virtually with Alexz and dug deep into the heart and soul of this Canadian artist. We talk about her life as a new mom, her rollercoaster career, and how she always continues to radiate joy.By Sam Pelissero

1
The Shmee Show Trailer 1:45

3y ago1:45

1:45

Hosted by vibrant and charismatic New Jersey native, Sam Pelissero, SHMEE is a new virtual talk show that showcases stories of resilience, self-discovery, and 100% pure joy. SHMEE is not only Sam's nickname, but it's a word that means to block out the bad, express pure joy, and follow the beat of the universe. From famous music artists, to ground b…

1
(Series Finale) Episode 41: I Love the 90's 1:04:27

4y ago1:04:27

1:04:27

Shmee! Sam's friends Carolyn and Diana finally make it onto the podcast this week! This week they discuss everything 90's...and I mean EVERYTHING. T.V. shows, movies, games, growing up in the 90's, etc. It's a hilarious episode you won't want to skip! Also Sam and Diana battle over Alanis Morissette! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The e…

1
Episode 40: The Radio Star 52:12

4y ago52:12

52:12

Shmee! This week Sam is joined by Jersey's own radio DJ and alternative rock enthusiast John Laszkow! John details his life journey that led him to being a radio personality (spoiler: it was from swimming in the Hudson.) Sam gets the deets on the radio industry and the two discuss a variety of topics. The Shmee game of the day is "Alternative Rock …

1
Episode 39: Boys v. Girls 1:20:36

4y ago1:20:36

1:20:36

Sam is joined by Kelly Fitzpatrick! They ask each other questions they have been dying to ask the opposite gender. Does body count matter? Why do girls have such messy cars? Why do guys put their hands down their pants? The answers are fascinating and the stories are hilarious. SHMEE!--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to mak…

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Michael Troiano Podcasts

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